Boiling Point by Tessa Bailey Blog Tour (Excerpt, Review, Buy Links)

February 1, 2016January 2, 2022 Deanna | OkieDreams

A sexy conman meets his match in the third book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tessa Bailey’s Crossing the Line series for Entangled Select.

Boiling Point is a must-read romance and an Okie Dreams Book Reviews top pick for January. To find out more about Boiling Point and read our review of this spectacular new romance, check out the summary and continue reading below….

Boiling Point

Crossing The Line #3

Summary

Falling for a con man is the most dangerous game of all…

Con artist Austin Shaw’s been in disguise so long he’s not sure where his fake identities end and he begins. Now that he’s been strong-armed into working for a specialized undercover unit working with the Chicago police—criminals with unique “skills”—the last thing he needs is to risk his iron control. Especially when it comes to a certain stunningly sexy hacker who tempts him with every look of disdain.

Polly Banks will never, ever trust a con man. On the trail of a ruthless crook who destroyed the only family she’s ever known, Polly is unnerved by the shadow who follows her every move. The one who makes her pulse pound and breath short with lust. Austin. He’s infuriating, enigmatic, and pure sex appeal, and she’s determined to resist him.

But an untrustworthy man of disguise can become anyone he wants…including a man that Polly must trust if she’s to escape their dangerous game alive.

Excerpt

From Boiling Point by Tessa Bailey:

“Drop the gun.” He issued the order through clenched teeth. “I find the idea of hurting you distasteful.”

She twisted her body, an attempt to regain control of the Beretta. “I can’t believe you don’t have the decency to put your dick away before charging at me.”

Call him sick, call him whatever you liked, he liked Polly talking about his dick in any capacity. Look at it. Want it. “I’m the furthest thing from decent.”

“No shit.” They were breathing heavily, inches from each other’s mouths. And hell if the swollen bastard between his thighs didn’t react favorably to having her close, even though she might have come there to murder him in cold blood. Pity, his cock didn’t deal in semantics.

“One last chance, Banks. Drop the gun or I’ll take it away from you.”

She pretended to think about it. “See, I’m not really in the mood to cry uncle.”

“Are you in the mood to cry Austin? Now that could be interesting.” She attempted to jerk the Beretta away again, giving him no choice but to dig his thumb into the pressure point on her wrist, releasing her grip automatically. “There now.” Keeping his attention trained on Polly, he placed the gun out of her reach on an overhead shelf. “That wasn’t so difficult, was—”

Her freed fist drilled him in the stomach. A grunt burst past his lips, but masculine pride kept him standing upright. Well, masculine pride and another fist flying in his direction, this time at his head. He shot a hand out to intercept the punch, using the grip to drag Polly off the sink and twist her arm behind her back.

“Aiming for this moneymaker face, sweet?” He clucked his tongue. “Now that’s just cruel.”

“Let me go,” she demanded, her voice vibrating with anger. Although he detected more embarrassment than anything else. He’d never seen her anything but confident. Ready for a challenge. It didn’t sit well that he’d scored her pride, so he let go of her arm. He had questions that needed answering, though, so as soon as he refastened his pants—not an easy feat when his cock still stood at attention—Austin pressed her body back against the sink, blocking both avenues of escape with his arms.

“How did you find my address? I’ve made it impossible.”

Some of her confidence returned in the form of a chin lift. Jesus, he would’ve liked to see that chin pointed toward the ceiling as she wailed for more tongue. “You should know by now that nothing is impossible for me.” Intelligence glimmered in her eyes. “I know you asked Derek to pay you by money order. I tracked the last several serial numbers to four different check-cashing places in the neighborhood.” Her shrug appeared grudging. “That was smart, not using the same place consistently. But I was able to pinpoint your general location down to a three-block radius, nonetheless. This building is the only one not run by a professional management company, and the most likely to rent without a proper credit check and accept cash deposits.”

It took an effort, but Austin managed to hide the chest-expanding awe she’d inspired. “And my apartment number? How did you manage to glean that information, my hot little sleuth?”

“I’m not your anything, Shaw.” She narrowed her gaze. “And your buzzer has the name I.M. TheTits on it.”

My Thoughts

*ARC provided in a contest win by the Author in exchange for a fair and honest review*

First Impression: Impeccable writing, intriguing storyline, with two complex and compelling lead characters I immediately wanted to know more about

You guys, I am in serious love with Austin Shaw, the hero in Boiling Point. He’s such a fascinating, well-rounded, and immensely flawed character and yet, there’s so much emotional and psychological depth to him, a lot of which he pushes down and pretends not to feel. He is hands down one of the best characters I’ve read in a long, long time. He’s so charming, broken, flawed, and intriguing, I found myself savoring every single nugget of information about him.

And Polly Banks, the heroine? She’s strong, vibrant, determined, and so perfect for a man so uncertain about himself. There is so much chemistry between them, and they’re both so raw and real and natural feeling that it was easy to like and relate to them.

On the surface, Austin is kind of in your face with his conman role, but underneath his well perfected charm and pretense, he’s a man not quite sure of who he is in the world. He’s spent so long being everyone else but himself, he’s sort of lost sight of the man he is underneath the many disguises he wears. There is something truly compelling and intriguing about a character like that, about a man like that. Austin’s unique brand of vulnerability makes him feel all too real and the depth of his characterization make his thoughts, actions, and words on the page ring true and honest every single time he’s in point of view.

Without doubt, I loved every single word of this book. It emotionally destroyed me, in the very best of ways. The lead characters were beyond words and left me speechless and a little teary-eyed more than once. There are so many fantastic scenes in this story, and so many lines I’d love to quote, but I won’t because I feel like everyone needs to discover these two the way I did, slowly, and with time to savor each and every encounter and revelation inside.

This book is just exceptional and so damn emotionally gripping, I’m still in awe two months after first reading the arc of it. Austin and Polly have so much emotional intensity to them that both of them live, breathe, and bleed on the page. They’re real people with real reactions, flaws, and emotions, and I loved them both so much.

From their mega-hot sexy times to their truth-and-a-lie interactions, Austin and Polly were so damn compelling, so real and raw and absolutely amazing. I savored this book from the first word on, because I knew immediately this story was special, and it proved it by leaps and bounds the further I read on it. I loved this book, and I loved this couple, and because of that, I cannot recommend reading it highly enough.

— Deanna Lynn, Owner and Lead Reviewer for Okie Dreams Book Reviews

Rating: 5 Stars

DON’T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE SIZZLING CROSSING THE LINE SERIES…

RISKIER BUSINESS

by Tessa Bailey
Crossing the Line, #0.5
Publication Date: January 5, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

One more game. And this time, there are no rules…

After a life of pool hustling and living on the wrong side of the law, Ruby Elliott is living on the straight and narrow with sexy-as-all-hell NYPD detective, Troy Bennett. Now the only trouble Ruby has with the law is the naughty kind, pinned against the wall by Troy’s strict and spectacularly hard body. Obeying his every command. Both of them losing themselves in a lust that borders on obsession…

But then her father returns with an offer she can’t refuse: one last hustle in exchange for information. Information she’d die to have. As the pieces and the players of the game reveal themselves, Troy feels the fine edges of his control slipping—control he can’t channel without hurting Ruby. The stakes are high, and the risk higher. Because losing this final game could cost more than Ruby’s heart…it might cost her life.

Add to Goodreads

You can read my review of Riskier Business here

RISKING IT ALL
by Tessa Bailey
Crossing the Line, #1
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He’ll live to keep her safe...

NYPD detective Seraphia Newsom will avenge her brother’s death at any cost. Even if it means insinuating herself into a rough, Brooklyn street gang and going so far undercover, she’s not sure she’ll be able to get out. Every minute she spends in their midst means the clock ticking down on her life, especially when she overhears something that could get her killed.

Bowen Driscol is the heir to a crime enterprise. He never asked for the job, but with his father behind bars, he has no choice but to step in and keep the operation running. But when the NYPD blackmails him with a piece of damning information in exchange for aiding an undercover cop, he finds himself on the other side of the law for the first time in his life.

Bowen knows the danger Sera is in, and keeping her safe trumps saving his own ass. The problem? She can’t know he’s on her side. And there’s the matter of the seriously inconvenient heat sparking between them that’s incinerating his resistance. But Sera only sees Bowen’s past, and men like him are the reason her brother is dead. If they’re to get out alive, he’ll have to risk exposing the man beneath, and hope to hell he doesn’t blow the whole operation in the process.

Add to Goodreads

You can read my review of Risking It All here

UP IN SMOKE

by Tessa Bailey
Crossing the Line, #2
Publication Date: June 23, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Never start a fire you can’t control…

Connor Bannon is supposed to be dead. Dishonorably discharged from the Navy SEALs, he’s spent the last two years working as a street enforcer in Brooklyn for his cousin’s crime ring. Through a twist of fate, he’s now in Chicago, working undercover to bust criminals. But when a cute little arsonist joins the team—all combat boots, tiny jean shorts, and hot-pink hair—Connor’s notorious iron control slips.

Erin “she’s getting away” O’Dea knows two things. She hates authority. And… Nope, that’s it. When she’s forced to operate on the “right” side of the law, her fear of being confined and controlled blazes to the surface. The last thing she expects is a control freak like Connor to soothe her when she needs it most. Worse, something behind the sexy ex-soldier’s eyes ignites a dangerous inferno of desire. One that invites Erin to play with fire. And one that could get them both killed…

Add to Goodreads

You can read my review of Up In Smoke here

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here!

About The Author

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

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